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TORONTO - It wasn’t exactly the ideal playoff preparation session Randy Carlyle was looking for in the Maple Leafs’ final dress rehearsal.

The second period of Saturday’s potential post-season preview with the Montreal Canadiens was as ugly a period as the Leafs had played all season, a debacle that accelerated a 4-1 loss in front of an Air Canada Centre crowd that came ready to celebrate.

How gruesome was it? Well, the Leafs had more power plays (3) than shots on goal (1) in a lazy, sloppy second period in which the Habs served notice they weren’t about to be a pushover — Saturday night or beyond if it comes to that.

And that was only part of the story. Other than an early burst of feistiness, the Leafs didn’t send much of a message to the Canadiens other than there is some work and soul-searching to do before they play their first post-season game in nine years.